NDR Garden Tillers

TimJ

TimJ

Well-known member
OK it is way NDR but it seems like someone usually has a useful opinion here. Got to be some gardeners here.
Need a new rear tine tiller, old one stopped going round and round. Have a large garden and am looking for a replacement. The old one was an MTD that worked pretty good but I'm kind of shying away from them unless I can't find anything else much better for the price. MTD looks like it has 1/2 of the names (Cub Cadet, Troy Bilt, White...) in the garden market now and not many good reviews.

Anyone here use one of the recent Husqvarna, Craftsman or Simplicity/Snapper rear tines? Would love to get a BCS two wheel tractor but unless I find a good used one at an awesome price I don't think that will happen. Any other makes to look at?

Tim
 
Only experience is with Troy-Built Horse models.I had a 6hp used, and currently a 7hp IC with low hours ,which I no longer have a use for.Too bad your so far away.They are great tillers.
 
OK it is way NDR but it seems like someone usually has a useful opinion here. Got to be some gardeners here.
Need a new rear tine tiller, old one stopped going round and round. Have a large garden and am looking for a replacement. The old one was an MTD that worked pretty good but I'm kind of shying away from them unless I can't find anything else much better for the price. MTD looks like it has 1/2 of the names (Cub Cadet, Troy Bilt, White...) in the garden market now and not many good reviews.

Anyone here use one of the recent Husqvarna, Craftsman or Simplicity/Snapper rear tines? Would love to get a BCS two wheel tractor but unless I find a good used one at an awesome price I don't think that will happen. Any other makes to look at?

Tim
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Hey Tim,

I'm right there with you. I'm ready to pull the trigger on a Honda FR600. My thought process is that I won't spend $800 for an MTD that may or may not last. The simplicity/snapper are smallish and fromwhat I've read are considered too light to break new garden. The two wheel tractors, hoo-boy that is a price.

The Hondas are very common in the rental market, both the FR600 and the FRC800. MSRP of a FR600 is $1800, you can get them for a little less. They have 3 forward and 1 reverse are very dependable and you can beat the piss out odf them. A good friend of mine rents one to till up feed plots in unbroken, stoney root-laden heavy clay soil and hasn't broke the rental, although he does keep a pocket of 5/16" bolts for shear pins.

T
 
Tim,

I've run a Simplicity for the past 3 years and have been very happy with it. Stay away from the MTD's unless you have a very small garden and fairly loose soil already. Look for something with a cast iron transmission. Also, Cub Cadet, Troy-Bilt and White are now owned by MTD and the quality has suffered.
Good luck,

Chris
 
Like most things, they just don't make them like they used to. I have heard good things about Honda, but have never used one myself. Those 2 wheel tractors are great, but the price...ouch! If you are mechanically inclined, try to pick up an old one...Like a David Bradley

davidbradley.jpg


Or if you want to look really cool...A Handy Trak

handytrak.jpg


I don't have space for a sprawling garden now, so I went vertical in my raised bed.

tomatos016.jpg


This was mid season. I have a newspaper clipping at home where it was almost 20 feet.

Chuck
 
Tim,

Call around to local small engine shops, You may be able to find a quality older/used model troy built or other model.

Throw a want ad in the Argus Leader or other local shoppers. I also know there is/was a snowmobile, yard equipment bone yard around Orange City somewhere. I stopped in there about 5 yrs ago but dont recal exactly whare it was.

hope that helps.

If you are looking for a new model I cant help, I have a soft spot for items that need a new coat of paint and a few turns of the wrench.

-Matt
 
I like the husqvarna. I just used my F.I.L's to till my garden and new beds for the shrubs. It has enough weight to keep it from jerking me around and also reverse. Having had three back operations I need something that does the work while I just walk behind it. A spring broke in the case that engages the tranny but we took it apart and did a good maintanence while replacing the spring. That's the only problem since he bought it.
 
Joe, That would have been a good one. The older horse models are supposed to be beasts.

Wis, I saw a couple John Deere tillers on the web and got excited but I believe they have stopped selling walk behind tillers. That seems to be a market trend.

Tod, Yeah the Simplicity seems to be a little light for my needs. That Honda looks nice, do the tines go in both directions. Couldn’t find it on the specs so I’m guessing it’s only one way. I do like them to rotate both ways but that seems to be less common then it once was.

Chris, My 10 year old MTD worked fine up until this, and I used it pretty hard, but looking around I don’t think they make em like they use to. And if something goes wrong it is shot. The Briggs motor on it runs like it is new, I wish they built tillers.

Chuck, I’m close to the opposite of ‘mechanically inclined’. I think those two might be just a touch older then the used I’m looking for. Hehehe
Nice looking tomato plant. Looks like a yellow pear, didn’t know they would get that big.

Matt, I’ve heard of that junk yard but never been there. I think I’ll have to make sure any used tiller is in pretty good condition for it to be worth it for me. See reply to Chuck. :-)

Thank you guys. Gives me some more to think about. Been watching the local classifieds and ebay to see if anything good pops up locally. It’s kind of sad when a used tiller might be a better then a new one.
Here’s my dream tiller http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHqOk1OK-9A

Tim
 
Thanks Leslie. That is what I was hoping to here about them. They look a lot like the MTDs but I've heard they are much tougher and heavier. That would be good.

Tim
 
Honda only one way rotation.

I think the craftsman may be a husky if that is what you are interested in.
 
Chuck, I’m close to the opposite of ‘mechanically inclined’. I think those two might be just a touch older then the used I’m looking for. Hehehe
Nice looking tomato plant. Looks like a yellow pear, didn’t know they would get that big.

Tim
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Maybe the mechanics of this '2 wheeled tractor' are more your speed...even has an enclosed cab.

Yes that is a yellow pear, they grow like weeds.

truck.jpg

 
Chuck, I’m close to the opposite of ‘mechanically inclined’. I think those two might be just a touch older then the used I’m looking for. Hehehe
Nice looking tomato plant. Looks like a yellow pear, didn’t know they would get that big.

Tim
Click to expand...


Maybe the mechanics of this '2 wheeled tractor' are more your speed...even has an enclosed cab.

Yes that is a yellow pear, they grow like weeds.

truck.jpg
Click to expand...

Self fertilizing too!
 
Tim,
I bet you could come close to finding an old 8n around that you could hang a 5' pto driven tiller off of for around the same money? Run around every spring and till gardens and pay for the tractor???
 
Cool then I could be just like Judy Garland. Will I lose my guy credentials for knowing she had a ford tractor in a movie? Oh well...
That wouldn't be a bad idea except that I'd still need to have a smaller walk behind for cultivating, garden is too big to keep ahead of the weeds without one. My parents do have a garden tractor that has a tiller that can be rigged to work if it comes down to that but I like working with a walk behind.

Tim
 
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